PORTLAND, OR – Tycko & Zavareei LLP, in partnership with Tim Quenelle PC and Oregon Consumer Justice Law, has filed a class action lawsuit in the Circuit Court of Multnomah County on behalf of Oregon consumers who were misled by Grocery Outlet’s deceptive pricing practices. The lawsuit alleges that Grocery Outlet and its affiliated operators across Oregon systematically used fictitious “elsewhere” prices to create the illusion of savings, in violation of Oregon’s Unlawful Trade Practices Act (UTPA).
The complaint, brought on behalf of named plaintiffs Schearon Stewart, John Franz, and Roger Sullivan, details how Grocery Outlet advertised inflated or fabricated reference prices without identifying the source of those comparisons, as required by Oregon law. These misleading practices, the suit alleges, caused consumers to believe they were receiving significant discounts when, in many cases, they were paying the same or more than at other local retailers.
“This case is about fairness and transparency,” said F. Peter Silva II, attorney at Tycko & Zavareei LLP. “Oregon law is clear: if you advertise a discount, you must be honest about where that comparison comes from. Grocery Outlet’s use of vague and unverifiable ‘elsewhere’ prices deprived consumers of the ability to make informed purchasing decisions and unfairly competed with other businesses.”
The lawsuit seeks injunctive and equitable relief to stop the unlawful conduct and hold Grocery Outlet accountable. Plaintiffs intend to amend the complaint to seek monetary damages on behalf of the class after the statutory notice period under ORCP 32 has expired.
The class includes all Oregon residents who, within the past year, purchased grocery items from any Grocery Outlet location in Oregon that were advertised using fictitious reference prices. The complaint estimates that the class may include over 100,000 consumers.
Plaintiffs are represented by Hassan Zavareei, F. Peter Silva II, and Allison Parr of the public interest firm of Tycko & Zavareei LLP, Tim Quenelle of Tim Quenelle PC, and Mathew Kirkpatrick and Robert Le of Oregon Consumer Justice Law. This case reflects the firms’ ongoing commitment to protecting consumers from deceptive and unfair business practices.
The case is Stewart, et al., v. 2SGR Ventures, LLC, et al, MCC# 25CV33779 in the Circuit Court of the State of Oregon in and for the County of Multnomah.